Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War Church Memorial Tablet to Captain S. H. Christy, D.S.O., 20th Hussars

Memorial Tablet, 490mm x 127mm, bronze, inscribed ‘Captain Stephen Henry Christy D.S.O. 20th. Hussars. Killed in action Sept. 3rd. 1914.’, with six small fixing holes around edge, original white paint from inscription almost all lost, otherwise good condition £80-£100

D.S.O. London Gazette 24 January 1905:
‘In recognition of services during the Sokoto-Burmi operations, Northern Nigeria, 1903.’

Stephen Henry Christy was born on 27 April 1879, the son of Stephen Christy Esq., of Stockport, Cheshire, and was educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 20th Hussars on 20 December 1899 and was promoted Lieutenant on 10 August 1900. He served in South Africa during the Boer War from 1901, latterly on the Staff as Signalling Officer, and was present at the operations in the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony (entitled to the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for Orange Free State, Transvaal, and the two date clasps).

Christy saw further service in Northern Nigeria in 1903, taking part in the Sokoto-Burmi operations, during which he was slightly wounded. Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 2 January 1905, for his services he was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. He retired from the Active List in 1906, and later became Master of the South Shropshire Foxhounds.

Following the outbreak of the Great War Christy rejoined his old Regiment, with the rank of Captain, on 16 August 1914, and served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 18 August 1914. He was killed in action at Ussy-sur-Marne on 3 September 1914, and is buried at Perreuse Chateau Franco-British National Cemetery, France.